Samoa set to be awarded its first Olympic medal

Samoa is set to win its first Olympic medal, eight years after weightlifter Ele Opeloge competed.

Ele Opeloge initially finished in fourth place in the women's over 75kg division at the 2008 Olympic Games. Photo: AFP

The International Olympic Committee has confirmed the silver medalist in Opeloge's divison at the 2008 Beijing Olympics will be stripped of her medal after failing a doping test.

The bronze medalist also faces being stripped for a similar offence.

Opeloge initially finished fourth in the class.

Samoan officials are hoping for official confirmation in the next few weeks and what medal Opeloge will be given.

The IOC announced the decisions in the latest sanctions imposed on athletes whose stored samples came back positive after being retested with improved methods.

Ele Opeloge's coach in Beijing, Jerry Wallwork, said the prolonged wait has been frustrating for all involved.

"It is very disappointing that after a few years we still may wait again another couple more months or a couple more weeks," he said from Penang, where the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships are being held this weekend.

"I'm just really hoping that it will come out anytime soon. Samoa is very anxious and Ele is very anxious. It's history for us - to win a silver medal at the Olympic Games is something great and I just hope that they confirm it too."

Nine athletes in all were disqualified from the 2008 Games, including six medallists.

Olha Korobka and Mariya Grabovetskaya both took their cases to the Court of Arbitration for Sport but Jerry Wallwork said he has been told by officials from the International Weightlifting Federation the lifters failed both their A and B sample tests, with a final announcement on Grabovetskaya expected soon.